Price of Living in Maui 'Enormous' in Wake of Wildfires - Resident

LAHAINA, Hawaii (Sputnik), Lenka White - Living expenditures have skyrocketed in areas of Maui impacted by the recent wildfires with grocery costs doubling, resident Eric David Poulsen told Sputnik.

Wildfires that erupted in Maui on August 8 have left at least 115 dead while 388 are still missing, according to officials. The Lahaina fire, which remains 90% contained, burned an estimated 2,170 acres, the county of Maui said in its most recent update.

"The expense to live here is enormous. You know at the grocery store it used to be $150, and then it was $300 to feed a family of four per trip," Poulsen said.

Poulsen also said the two companies he has worked for - Keller Williams and Towel Tracker in Michigan - have been incredibly supportive to them financially in finding a place to live and meeting expenses.

On what is next and whether, he can apply for any grants, Poulsen shared that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) advised him to apply for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. FEMA works with SBA to offer low-interest disasters loans.

"But we don't know what is next: I do have money for gas and to feed my family and that's the only thing I know," he added.

Right after the fires, FEMA said it pledged more than $5.6 million in aid to about 2,000 affected households in Maui and the White House announced it would distribute a one-time payment of $700 per household.

There is much speculation over what caused the fire, with a majority blaming the Hawaiian Electric company for allegedly neglecting to turn off its equipment during hurricane warnings. But Poulsen believes it was "Mother Nature."

"I know that wind... comes like once a decade off that mountain and whether it was because of the hurricane or the high pressure, I don't know. But I do know that that wind can come and it came and it was ignited," Poulsen said.

Hawaiian Electric in an update on Sunday said its lines were carrying no current by the time flames erupted and the cause of the fire "has not been determined."

US President Joe Biden visited Hawaii on August 21 and stayed about 6 hours. Biden traveled to a few locations inside the Lahaina area, where the fire happened. The president sparked outrage by comparing the Maui wildfires to nearly losing his ‘67 Corvette during a fire at his house 15 years ago.